ACCESS DIGITIZED EDITION
Guide/Reviews Database
OLDER FICTION
Castellanos, Alexis

Guava and Grudges

336 pp. | Bloomsbury | September, 2024 | Trade ISBN 9781547613717 $19.99 | Ebook ISBN 9781547613724 $13.99
(2) YA The Ybarras and the Moraleses, who own Cuban bakeries across the street from each other in fictional Port Murphy, Washington, have a bitter, decades-old rivalry. Ana Maria Ybarra (who also goes by Amy because no one in her mostly white town can pronounce her name correctly) usually honors the family feud. Until Miguel, a boy with whom she shared a steamy kiss in L.A. months ago, moves to town and reveals that he's a Morales nephew. Try as she might, she can't stay away ("He's technically a Fuentes," she justifies), especially when she learns he's a photography whiz. She's desperate for someone to fix her recipe videos so she can win a scholarship to culinary school. The two create a plan to film cooking videos in secret -- which, of course, devolves into clandestine making out. Ana Maria's family can't find out about either. Castellanos's (Isla to Island4, rev. 3/22) first novel-with-words is a sweet and satisfying rom-com with a relatively low-stakes star-crossed storyline. Ana Maria learns to stand up for her dreams for her future, her love life, and even the name she wants to be called, and Miguel is supportive as she figures it all out. Delicious descriptions of traditional Cuban foods and Ana Maria's updated creations abound. A recipe for guava cream cheese thumbprint cookies is appended.
Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

RELATED 

OLDER FICTION

What Beauty There Is
by Anderson, Cory
OLDER FICTION

Between Perfect and Real
by Stoeve, Ray
OLDER FICTION

Zoe Rosenthal Is Not Lawful Good
by Werlin, Nancy
OLDER FICTION

Home Is Not a Country
by Elhillo, Safia
OLDER FICTION

All Our Hidden Gifts
by O'Donoghue, Caroline
More

Get connected. Join our global community of more than 200,000 librarians and educators.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?